LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan said it was his choice whether he wanted to sell Toshakhana wristwatch or not and ruled out possibility of negotiating with Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) led government.

Addressing a press conference at Zaman Park via video link, he said that Pakistan Democratic Movement government was not competent enough to steer country out of economic doldrums adding there would be no economic stability in country without political stability. Reacting to news reports highlighting sale of Toshakhana wristwatch, he said he was rightful to do whatever he wanted to do with wristwatch adding PTI would not hold talks with “gang of thieves”.  PTI chief reiterated his allegations that two thieves Nawaz and Zardari would go to any extent to delay elections in country Because they donwant to waste what they have achieved by ending their corruption cases during last seven months.

  Moreover, Imran said incumbent rulers were buying time to lodge cases and disqualify him in collusion with Chief Election Commissioner. For this reason, Imran said he was pressing institutions to pave way for early elections in country to avert default risk and save country from economic collapse.

The PTI chief said he had not been demanding elections for his party. “I know my party will win elections even if elections are held on time… but I am afraid that economic crisis will worsen due to delay in polls.” Imran said the economic stability will never come without political stability. “They [incumbent rulers] don’t have any roadmap. Their only aim is to dispose off their corruption cases as they know they cannot win elections.” Despite using the entire state machinery, Imran said PML-N and other allied parties lost by-elections.

The PTI chief claimed that when he came into power in 2018, he had inherited a fragile economy but had turned it around, only to see his work undone by the present setup.

“When we got Pakistan [government] in 2018, we had the largest current account deficit,” he said. “When our government was ousted, the GDP growth was at six per cent. These figures were usually only seen during the martial laws of Ayub, Zia and Musharraf. This was because [during their eras] we were receiving dollars from the US. “They didn’t make any dams but we made six dams, out of which two were massive. We launched the health card that was praised by foreign magazines. Our Ehsaas programme was internationally acknowledged. The billion tree tsunami was praised around the world.

Published in The Daily National Courier, December, 12 2022

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